Comfort Zone
by Aitsufaenina
Summary: Pike convinces Spock to try some funky new 'human' things.
1. Do it for the Money

"Want to try one of my buffalo wings?"

"I am a **vegetarian**." Spock replied.

"By choice," said Pike. "I know for a fact that Vulcans _can _eat meat."

"I know for a _fact _that human cadets _can_ eat paper."

"Touché, would you like to at least try an onion ring?"

"Captain Pike,"

"Yes Spock?"

"Why must you insist on sharing your meal with me?"

"You order the house salad every time we eat here, wait, you order the house salad _everywhere_ we eat. You need to try something different."

"A house salad is healthy and satisfies my hunger."

Pike took another bite of his food. He chewed slowly, musing over a wild idea. "How about this," He paused. "I'll get you a new grant for your satellite research if you break out of five of your comfort zones."

Spock raised an eyebrow. His satellite research was breaking new ground and he could easily get sponsors if he asked the right people; On the other hand, he was never good at writing grant proposals. After five minutes of deliberation Spock responded pensively. "How much is the grant?"

"So you'll consider it?" Pike asked excitedly.

"How much is the grant?" Spock repeated unrelentingly.

Pike sighed. "Five thousand dollars give or take."

Spock's interest plummeted. "That will barely cover the energy bills."

"What is wrong with you scientists, I could requisition at least ten new hand Phasers with that money. Ten!"

Spock couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Pike, he was so animated. "I will consider your offer."

"Yes!" Pike discreetly fist pumped underneath the table. Then he thought about what Spock just said. "Wait, what do you mean 'you'll consider it'?"

"I will first need to evaluate the risks in proportion to the gain."

"No." Pike said unquestionably.

"Why?"

"Because it defeats the purpose!"

"And?"

"The point is to get you out of your comfort zone."

"I thought the point was to earn a research grant."

"You're so stubborn sometimes."

"I know." Spock said tauntingly.

"So will you break out of your comfort zone? For me?"

Spock just raised his eyebrow.

Pike rolled his eyes. "For the $5,000?"

"If the risks are tolerable-"

"No, you have to trust me."

"Trust you?"

"I promise the trials will not be physically dangerous," Pike raised his hand. "Scout's honor."

"Are surveyors very honorable?" Spock asked earnestly.

Pike paused, realizing his blunder. "I uh," Spock listened intently. "Just trust me ok?"

"Fine." Spock raised his eyebrow as Pike cheered silently.

oo0oo

Author's Note

Inspired by my first fanfic with Spock and Uhura – "More than a Mentor". Can't wait to write more, I know it's a little OOC but it's fun having Pike and Spock interact as such.


	2. 42

"My first trial?"

"Yes. Now get away from that ferret before it bites you, Spock." Spock retracted his hand and dropped it to his side. The two men continued to walk through the tiny pet shop until they reached the back wall.

Spock looked around, assessing the musty environment. He looked around distrustfully as he listened to the wall of caged cats' needy meows. "I assume that my first trial will be to take a 'pet' into my custody."

"You really need to stop ruining my fun." Pike frowned. He would have to make the next four challenges more discomforting for the Vulcan. It seemed pet ownership was too easy a challenge.

Spock raised his eyebrow. "This is fun for you?"

A frizzled young girl, with a cute tonkinese kitten mewling in her arms, came up to Pike. She was a little intimidated by the black clad Vulcan, somewhat sulking in the corner. "Can you I help you sir?" she asked as Pike leaned in and gently rubbed the kitten's chin. It purred, closing its bright blue eyes in pleasure. "Awwww, she likes you!" The girl exclaimed.

Pike turned to look at Spock, childish glee on his face. "What do you think Spock."

"I think it is a cat."

The kitten meowed angrily as she made eye contact with Spock. "Hush Slarty, hush." The girl tried to calm the kitty but she refused to calm down. It hissed at Spock. The Vulcan stared on uninterestedly. "I'm sorry, she's never like this." The girl said apologetically.

A scheming look came upon Pike's face. "He'll take it!" Pike exclaimed.

"What?" Asked both Spock and the girl.

"You'll take it, won't you Spock?" Pike was beaming, "For the sake of the grant, right?"

The girl pulled a treat out of her apron. The kitten calmed down as it chewed the fishy treat. Then the girl pet her until Slarty was purring happily again. "Slarty's a girl, not an it. And I'm not sure if she likes him very much," the girl gestured to Spock, she found Spock a little off putting her self, "uh, no offence sir." But business was business so she tried to be nice.

The feeling was mutual. "**She**, obviously dislikes me, Pike. It would be irrational to adopt this 'pet' and force it to endure my company." Spock was willing to go through these ridiculous trials, for the grant money, but not if it meant getting mauled in his sleep by an angry kitten. He also found the cat's name ridiculous.

"May I hold her?" Pike asked. The girl was hesitant to hand over the kitty, she liked the nice old guy, she found his graying hair charming, and she didn't want the cat to claw his face off. She fed the kitten a few more treats before gingerly handing her over. "And what did you say her name was again?" Pike asked as he held the purring kitty up to his face.

The store door opened, letting in a cold gust of snowy air. "Her name's Slartibartfast!" The girl called out as she ran to help the next customer who was ringing the customer help bell insistently.

The two men stood there, silently in the back of the musty pet shop, as Startibartfast meowed happily as she was pet lovingly. Slarty continued to purr, but she made sure to keep her eyes open just a slit, so that the pointy eared, man couldn't hurt her. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. Pike cringed as Slarty's claws un-retracted into his arm.

"Here," Pike held out Slarty to Spock. The kitty, realizing the 'nice' man's treachery, began flailing angrily. Her tiny claws came out fully, as she hissed and spit like a banshee. "Dear god!" Pike tried to hold on but when Slarty drew blood, his hands released, dropping the angry Slarty on to Spock's chest.

Spock reacted quickly. He wrapped his arms tightly around Slarty before she could fall to the ground, nearly crushing the poor kitten against his chest. "Calm down Slartibartfast." Spock said icily. Slartibartfast quieted down instantly.

As Pike sucked on his fresh new cuts, the girl came running to them. She grabbed Pike's hand and began to wipe at the bloody cut with a damp cloth. "Oh, I'm sorry-" She then saw Slarty in Spock's arms. By now Slarty was quiet and still, not because she was being crushed, but because she found Spock's high body temperature almost as delightful a fluffy pillow left out in the sun, maybe even more so. She was purring quite audibly. "She likes you?" The girl asked in surprise.

"Where are the cat-supplies located?" asked Spock.

Pike smiled gleefully.

oo0oo

Author's Note

Please tell me someone got the references…

Anyway, I have two tonkinese cats myself, and they are absolutely awesome. The boy cat even fetches plastic spoons, that is when he isn't feeling high and mighty.


	3. Pesky Red Dots

The lunch line in the cafeteria was moving, agonizingly slow. In the line Nurse Chapel leaned in to whisper into her friend's ear. "Did you hear, Spock has a new kitten?"

The lady exclaimed in surprise, drawing looks from others in the line, "Spock? The Vulcan Spock?" Her eyes bulged out, "No!"

Nurse Chapel smiled at the reaction. "Yes." She responded smugly.

"But he's a Vulcan!" She said with prejudice, but not with malice. She didn't like talking to the guy but he did help her with her computer once.

"I know!"

"How… human of him." She said as she continued to shake her head in disbelief.

oo0oo

It seemed everyone at Starfleet Academy knew about Spock's new pet. And it also seemed as if everyone was utterly flabbergasted that the straight-laced Vulcan Lieutenant Spock would ever have a pet, let alone an adorable, albeit 'useless', kitten.

Slartibartfast, a.k.a. Slarty stared up at her new master and mewled. She was hungry; she was hungry now.

Spock opened the newly assigned 'Slartibartfast' cupboard and took out a can of wet cat food. He dumped the contents into a silver bowl with the name Slartibartfast running around the sides in elegant, filigreed script. He threw out the emptied can after placing the bowl down, in front of Slarty.

He would never admit it, but Spock spoiled Slarty.

Slarty reminded Spock of his childhood pet sehlat; I-chaya. Though only as big as a loaf of bread, Slarty could be as intimidating as a bear if she wished it. When she was happy she was the most pleasant ball of fluff a bachelor could ever want.

On Vulcan, pets were usually reserved for children. Pets were an efficient way to teach a child responsibility, especially with sehlats. Spock's hand itched from the ghost of a long healed scar and the memory of the first and last time he was late with his pet's food.

Spock leaned against the wall as he took a moment to watch his new pet finish her dinner. She would be done soon at the rate she was devouring the pre-chewed fish mash. When she was done Slarty licked her lips, then her light gray paws and then she used her moist paws to clean her whiskers. She was so friggin adorable, it should have been illegal. Spock found the edge of his lips twitching; he looked away, and closed his eyes, hoping the illogical urge to curve his lips would stop. He opened them again when Slarty jumped up onto him, placing her tiny fore-paws at his knees. She wanted to be picked up.

With one hand, Spock scooped Slarty up and draped her at his shoulders; she curled up around his ears and promptly fell asleep.

Making sure not to move too erratically, Spock picked up the empty bowl and carried it to his bathroom to wash it.

As he washed the bowl, Spock watched, in the mirror, Slarty's tiny pink nose twitch as she dreamt about catching fluffy white balls or pesky red dots.

Spock made his way to his meditation corner when he was all done with clean up. Slarty was still fast asleep. Making sure not to rouse her, Spock moved her from his shoulders to his lap.

In all his years of meditating, shuffling through dozens of Vulcan, human, and humanoid partners, Spock had finally found the best meditation partner of all.

oo0oo

Author's Note

Sehlats are animals native to Vulcan, they are sometimes domesticated and kept as pets by children. In the wild, they like to maul things. They are described as bear like creatures with six inch fangs. (Who the hell would give that to their children…maybe if they were little snots…ok, yeah I can see the logic in Sehlats)

I know meditation is a solo activity; I do it myself from time to time, but sometimes it's nice to share a zen moment with a close buddy.


End file.
